Questioning Worth
by candelight
Summary: Turtle tot fiction! After a training session goes array, a depressed young Leo decides to secretly head topside for awhile. There, the turtle just might find he's not as "worthless" as he thinks...especially when his aid is unexpectedly called into hand.


When Worth is Questioned

* * *

Turtle tot fiction! After a training session goes array, a depressed young Leo decides to secretly head topside for awhile. There, the turtle just

might find he's not as "worthless" as he thinks...especially when his aid is unexpectedly called into hand.

~*~

Hallo, everyone. I do love the chibi turtles....^^ Gomen Nasai for my lateness in updating anything.....I visit my "other home" every two weeks for

the weekend...and I can't update with that computer. So....it does take time. Gomen Nasai....

_Quote: "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If **you** want to be happy, practice compassion."_

~*~*~*~*~

Leo shuddered as he shyly made his way down the alley, eyes glancing warily all about himself in the gloom. He shuddered-and not from the

early autumn chill.

Master Splinter would _kill_ the turtle if he discovered where he had gone. Or at least make him go through a good series of excercises until Leo

passed out.

And humiliated himself again.

The thought almost made the little turtle smile-albeit a little sadly, as he carefully slipped to a new alley, watching upset vermin scuttle away into

the shadows from old trash cans.

It was fairly early-blinking against the sunlight he so rarely saw, Leo drew his cap over his head a little more tightly, readjusting the cloak he

wore.....and the gloves.

He bit his lip as he aimlessly wandered, always keeping a sure lining in his memory that would lead him to take him back to the manhole on the

right of twenty-third, and then, his foot found another puddle.

And slipped.

"Ooof!"

Landing in cold water, Leo spluttered a little, sighed-and then managed another smile.

With a shaky sigh, Leo dimly reflected on what had happened during training yesterday.

Wincing-after all, he was the turtle that was supposed to_ excel_ at this art....

* * *

Splinter had started him on a new course. And.....well.....he hadn't exactly gone _easy_ on the little turtle.

....and that showed quite clearly, seeing as the turtle had failed miserably. Tried as he did, his brothers had found great amusement in his

repeated mishaps.

Unlike Michelangelo, however-Leo hadn't been very good at laughing it off.

He had never intended to show off before-was _that_ how they had seen him before? A showoffy....?

The turtle blushed crimson at the thought. He wasn't as if he had ever _tried_ to be....!

Leo let out a shuddering sigh, plodding feet through another old puddle-careful to avoid stepping on the old, shattered remains of a bottle.

Leaves were still falling from the occasional branch, and chilly gusts were sweeping the air.

Well-there was one small mercy. No one noticed if he kept his hands jammed in his pockets, and head under hood and hat.

And at least he was heading towards a nicer aspect of town. Being near the garbage disposals was depressing.....and, after clapping a hand to

his scarf to ensure he didn't have to inhale any more of the sick scent then he strictly had to-found it was not the best smelling oasis, either.

But then again, maybe he deserved it.

Maybe he wanted to hurt.

Or maybe he wanted to feel better.

* * *

_Either way, once Leo had woken up-much earlier then usual and mechanically headed towards Splinter's dojo-and found Master Splinter deep in_

_meditation, something inside the leader had quite simply snapped._

_Why, he didn't know, how, he did not know, but-_

_After scrambling to write a somewhat untidy note, saying he had left for a little "run" in the sewers, Leo snatched all the clothes he could possibly_

_formulate into an acceptable disguise before opening the door._

_Casting one last look behind himself, Leo slipped out, unaware that Splinter's eyes flickered open as he did so._

* * *

What he was doing was dangerous-he knew that much.

But maybe that was acting as a consolation....more then anything else.

Leo shivered slighly as a cool breeze rocked against his form-and tightened his scarf around himself.

He felt.....lonely, oddly enough, a small hollow blooming in the pit of his stomach.

His brothers couldn't understand his frustration-and he was not at all sure if Splinter did, either.

------------

An hour took its long pace, as the turtle dazedly stumbled around, only occasionally pausing to drink in anything.

After pausing to catch his breath behind an old telephone pole, he wondered vaguely if he should head back by now-and a strangled yell echoed

into the air.

* * *

_"Agggghhhhh!"_

The poor turtle started in surprise, the corner of his clothed shell making contact with the tip of a nearby garbage can with a small _clunk._

Mentally berating himself once again for the slip, and drawing his baseball cap over the hood of the worn cloak he still wore, Leo hurriedly

stumbled into the alley of the worn looking plank fence overlooking the side, heart fluttering like a captive bird beneath his ribs.

A moment went by.

Then another....

And another......

Had anyone been screaming about _him_? Leo felt sick with fear, pressing his fists to his mouth to stop him from crying out.

What if his disguise hadn't been good enough? What if he had made another-

Still silence now.

Leo's breathing began to decelerate as he turned his head to the side, peering at the fence in bewilderment. He could see little behind the

faint cracks of somewhat worn paint.

Leo inched the slightest inch closer, a small frown on his face.

There were odd sounds coming from the apartment building's door beside him. Someone was talking in what seemed to be a slightly exasperated

voice-while someone was now yelling incoherently at the top of his or her lungs at the sky.

Curiosity getting the better of him, the little turtle peeked out from behind the fence, muscles reflexing in preparation to take flight, if necessa-

**_"Get off my back and find my baby already!"_**

Leo drew back, looking surprised.

...oh.

A man-outfitted in a black uniform, with a badge attached to his front-was holding a notebook.....and had an expression that suggested that he

wanted to start hitting himself repeatably with it.

"Ma'am.....please....calm down. We've been over this several times now-we'll need that description once again."

The woman-clad in a long white blouse with a pink and gray skirt tore at her hair in frustration.

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU! SHE'S AN ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL WITH AN ADORABLE LITTLE FACE AND ADORABLE POM-POMS IN HER HAIR-WITH AN

ADORABLE LITTLE JUMP SKIRT AND AN ADORABLE PAIR OF SHOES!"

She whipped around to face a slightly disturbed looking woman with a snarl.

"_GOT THAT?"_

The turtle's jaw dropped slightly.

"Uh....."

The police woman drew a hand over her eyes, muttering something faintly under her breath, which sounded suspiciously like, "_They don't pay me_

_enough for this job."_

"....not really, ma'am."

* * * * * * * * * * *

The distressed looking woman moaned, and buried a red face in her hands.

"She's so friggin' adorable, someone probably _walked off_ with her!"

From he hid behind the fence, the turtle continued to stare.

She was crying. The sound faintly disturbed him somewhat-it had never been nice to listen to one of his brothers cry-and a main reason he

abstained from doing it much.

Occasionally, he felt almost envious of his brothers for such a thing. Although he could see perfectly good reasons for NOT succumbing to tears, it

looked nice to throw an actual _tantrum, _immature as it probably was. At least Raph could get away with them. Leo, however.......

He shook off the thought.

Pom poms in her hair? Why did that sound faintly familiar?

He pricked his ears slightly as she began exclaiming again in a now slightly hoarse voice.

"Anyways, forget you chumps. I'm going to find her myself!"

The officer sounded to be at his breaking point.

"Ma'am....please. Just stay home! Sari may come back at any time! The least you can do is wait for her just a little longer!"

The woman let out an anguished sob, and tore at her hair.

"I-If you d-d-don't find her...._I'll reign DEATH on your miserable, accursed souls!"_

* * *

......O.O

........okay. The turtle drew back slightly, biting his lip.

Leo was now terrified.

He rarely heard or had seen someone throw...."hysterics." Occasionally on the telly-which happened fairly often in the soap operas Splinter was

so fond of.....or in a book or two he had read.

But the lady with long brown hair, a small scar above her eye, and the skirt certainly seemed to know what she was doing in terms of a mass

attack of them.

Leo managed a small, puzzled frown.

Not even Raph could mouth off like that to police! He had to give her points for that, at the very least.....

But a token of what the woman had said had firmly placated itself in Leo's mind.

_"SHE'S AN ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL WITH AN ADORABLE LITTLE FACE AND ADORABLE POM-POMS IN HER HAIR-WITH AN ADORABLE LITTLE JUMPSKIRT _

_AND AN ADORABLE PAIR OF SHOES!_

_She's so friggin' adorable, someone probably walked off with her!"_

But Leo didn't think that was quite the case here. Something seemed a little out of place there.

In his empty stumblings, that description resonated, somehow. Had he seen someone like that?

Pulling the baseball cap more firmly over his head, Leo ducked into an alley, and set off at a run.

~*~*~

It was already getting a little late....well, he could easily pretend he'd simply gone off into the deeper segments of the sewers. Hopefully, Master

Splinter wouldn't ask. As Donny said-Leo was the worst liar on this side of the pacific.

Which side they were on, the leader didn't exactly know, so Donny had very kindly looked it up in an old atlas.

Leo anxiously peered beside old garbage cans-near telephone poles, occasionally near the streets.....

Reason tried vainly to probe itself into his mind, but he brushed it off as the seconds rolled by....

Into minutes....

Into several minutes.....

"Ooof!"

Leo staggered, caught himself, and ran on.

What on _earth _was he doing? _Why_ was he-?

The turtle stopped dead, heart still thudding wildly beneath his ribs, careening to an abrupt stop.

Anxiously peering behind himself, he drew back a step or two, careful to keep his distance-and his hood down as he cautiously peered into a

small alley, near an old telephone pole.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There, sobbing into slightly dirty hands, hair still fixated into little......

_Ah. _Leo's eyes narrowed slightly with thought he could see a trace or two of the woman in the girl's features. And, sure

enough, two wisps of her hair were drawn into little pom poms.

Brown eyes drew slightly from her quivering hands, and she drew her gaze onto the little hooded figure a few meters away, staring at her.

The little girl was indeed wearing a little jumper, with a small teddy bear sewn at the front-and what looked like a little bunny sewn at the corners

of her pocket.

Leo exhaled slightly as he slowly backed out from the alley, and began to hurry away.

The least he could do-never mind if Splinter was going to be angrier then a hornet if he discovered Leo had been walking around topside for so

long, was to at least let her mother kn-

He turned his head slightly, and his heart continued pounding tenfold.

_Aggghhhh!_

The girl had staggered upwards-still crying, one shoe missing from a slightly dusty sock....

...and dead set on pursuing the small turtle now.

~*~*~*~

This was not good.

This was NOT good.

If the girl got too close...!

"Eeegh!"

Leo paused slightly in midstep, brow creasing as he watched the small girl stagger, and trip to the pavement.

He careened to a stop, still staring at the small figure in front of him, who turned a dirty, tear stained face to meet his own.

"W-wait....."

Her eyes took in Leonardo and she clumsily made her way to her feet once again.

The turtle began to hurry a few steps forward, then paused.

And slowly turned around.

Looking puzzled, she likewise hurried forwards a few steps-as did Leo, who once again, paused, waiting for her to catch up.

Leo's eyes narrowed.

And the journey began.

~*~

Every few paces, Leo would stop, making sure the little girl could keep him in vision. Whenever she got to be four paces away, he would resume

his running, stopping to make sure she was still in pursuit.

For the fifth time, the young turtle turned.

And, once again, saw that Sari was stumbling after him.

Eyes narrowing quietly, reassuring smile on his face, the turtle drew his cap more tightly around his face, and carried on.

~*~

For four and a half miles, it went on. Leo's feet were seriously aching by this time-but he guessed Sari's had to be much worse. Slowing down his

steps a little, he continued the odd retinue, occasionally leading the little girl down a little known shortcut.

Finally, when the small girl's feet were wobbling quite considerably, Leo paused for the last time, and turned.

The little girl continued to tremble, face quite ruddy, and looked even more dirty then when the insane crusade had begun.

The turtle silently walked over, the girl continuing to try and catch her breath. Wordlessly, he plunked the small cap he was wearing-and placed it

on the startled girl's head before darting away.

* * *

Sari had blinked, tugged the hat off her head with some difficulty, and frantically began to look around.

Where had the boy gone? He'd just.....

The girl's breathing caught in her chest, brown orbs widening.

He'd brought her back home.

~*~

Eyes sparkling, she had whipped around.

"Hey! Th-!"

But her voice trailed off as she silently looked around.

The boy had gone.

~*~

A woman-still in a remarkably wrinkled outfit, was sitting on her apartment's balcony, head buried between her knees.

"MOMMY!"

The woman's head had whipped up, and, staggering upright, nearly leaned off the old, creaking banister as she peered into the distance.

There, by the front walk, crying freely-was Sari, a red baseball cap still on the top of her head.

Wordlessly, the woman had thrown herself out of sight-out the door, out the fire escape.

~*~

Shrieking in inane joy, the woman's eyes-still remarkably red, seized the little girl into an embrace the moment her feet hit the pavement.

For several minutes behind the fence, Leo watched, looking more then a bit teary eyed himself, embarrassing as it was to say.

Finally, after a few moments of mutual sobbing and endless hugging, the woman drew back slightly, blinking at the hat on her head.

"Sweetheart....h-how did you.....?"

---

Honestly.

The kid didn't have to go all THAT out explaining.

Nevertheless, there was a large grin on his face as he buried his head in his hands as Sari concluded her tale.

Silently, he stood, and began to make his way down the nearest manhole cover after checking for a clear cover.

~*~

"Geez, bro-where've ya been?"

Nonetheless, Raph sounded anxious as Leo silently padded in, giving him a small smile and shrug in response.

"Walking."

Don looked up from his tinker toys, face escalating into relief.

"Leo! I'd thought you'd run away or something!"

Mikey let out a deep breath of air from where he sat coloring at the table.

"Geez-why don't you scare us even MORE next ti-"

But Leo simply smiled, and trundled away, leaving three puzzled siblings in his wake.

~*~

Splinter was still in a meditative state as Leo wordlessly padded to him, resting his head on the rat's shoulders.

The master wordlessly took the Leader's palm, and there they sat in companionable silence, before Leo's flickering eyelids finally gave out, and his

head fell on Splinter's knee, one of the Master's hands finding Leo's head.

Another smile tugged at the turtle's lips.

It might've been his imagination....but it was fairly hard to feel worthless now.

Fin

Yes...I know...awkward and sentimental. Gomen Nasai!

* * *


End file.
